Representation of Britain in British Social Realist films

Snatch written and directed by British filmmaker Guy Richie set in London's underground crime world. One side of the plot follows what ultimately becomes a deadly chase for one hell of a big diamond. The other side follows a small-time boxing promoter named Turkish who finds himself under the thumb of a mad gangster names known as Brick Top. Its cast varies from cockney white blokes to Irish Travelers and Crazy Russians.

Richie represents our culture through bizarre and ruthless stereo types such as Brick Top who likes to feed his victims to the pigs! At one point London is even summed up as "Fish, Chips, cuo'o'tea, bad food, worst weather, Marry Fuckin' Poppings!" which is familiar to us in some perspectives but does not give a realistic interpretation of every day London life.

Although Guy Richie does manage to create a glamorous humor as us Londoners love it, Snatch does not conform to East London, London, or even anywhere in Britain as we know it. Although many similar crimes are committed in real lifeas what is in the film, the crimes are decorated with humorous speeches, funny phrases, fast pace editing and glamorous and electric sounds which takes away the real authenticity of London street crime.

 

So although the characters in this film are not completely realistic, lacking the elements of darkness and real thuggish behavior, we can still relate to the core of the characters personality's and see the typical British humuor which attracts the Urban British audience of young men. However the stereo types and actual lack of British Social Realism in the film could also attract a non British audience. People who love to hate Britain and also love to love Britain might take an interest in this film.

This Is England is a British drama film written by Shane Meadows. the story is based on skinheads in the 80's illustrating how their sub-culture become adopted by white nationalists. This was a period where immigration was rising, racism was still a part of British culture, society and consequently common within the skinheads views who are focused on in the film. Meadows adds his own gritty but authentic style to the racism in the film. It represents Britain with all of the grittiness is had back in the day of the 80's from hardcore racism to alcohol and cigarettes.

  

This is an unfortunate realistic representation of Britain in the 80's. The vulgar language and anguishing racism is as realistic as it gets. Well maybe not the part where the white man is almost using the shop floor as a toilet, but this represents the hardcore and appalling disrespect of the skinheads in this day and age.

People that have one day or maybe even still share these views would be an audience of this film as part of the British Social Realist genre. Parents who grew up around this nature of violence and racism may relate to the film as they may recognize previous experiences of similar actions in their youth. Even children today that are easily influenced by what is left of our racist culture in Britain today may conform with this genre and film in particular. Lets hope it does not influence the British any further into the depths of racism, but in the opposite direction.